Theoretical analysis of sequences of nucleic acids : a case study of RNA components involved in the translation process

Abstract

Over the last few years, the importance of RNA molecules in newlinevarious biological processes is becoming increasingly evident. newlineDifferent functional capabilities, such as, informational, enzymatic, newlineregulatory, replicative, etc, have been ascribed to RNA newlinemolecules. Base pairing interactions, through hydrogen bonding newlinebetween complementary bases, form the basis for not only the specific newlinestructures of RNA but also for the interactions between one newlineRNA and another. Through specific structural motifs, RNA molecules newlineinteract with proteins to bring into action regulatory newlinemechanisms in various biological processes. RNAs form the essential newlinecomponents of various ribonucleoprotein particles (e.g. newlineribosome, spliceosome, telomerase, etc). The single-stranded newlineregions·on the RNA molecules serve as recognition elements for newlineinteraction with other RNA molecules in processes, such as, newlinetranscription, splicing, translation, etc. RNA molecules possess newlinevarious types of structural motifs - hairpin sterns, pseudoknots, newlinetriple-stranded base pairing interaction$ etc. The singlestranded newlineregions that occur in the form of hairpin loops, bulges, newlineinterior loops, etc, provide additional contributions to the newlinestructural characteristics of RNA molecules. As a result, the newlineRNA molecule posse~ses more varied overall 3D structures as newlinecompared to DNA. Some of the key enzymatic activities (like newlineribonuclease, polymerase, and ligase), that were earlier thought newlineto be associated only with proteins, are now found to be carried newlineout by RNA molecules as well. Thus, the functional and structural newlinecapabilities of RNA molecules are coming to light in a more newlinexii newlineemphatic manner. As a result, more studies are being directed newlinetowards RNA. The departure in the studies from the ribosomal newlineproteins to the ribosomal RNA molecules, with respect to their newlineinvolvement in the translation process, best illustrates this newlinechange. newlineDue to the improvements in the sequencing techniques, a newlinelarge number of genes have been sequenced and the sequence data newlineis now available